Pilgrimage is an ancient tradition of traveling to locations of historical and religious importance to deepen a person’s spiritual experience. Rooted in ancient and medieval Christian practices, a pilgrimage frequently retraces the lives and journeys of Christians and Christ himself by visiting various places that were significant to the stories and experiences that gave life to our faith (i.e. the Holy Lands). Those who go on pilgrimage are called pilgrims, a word taken from Latin peregrini, which means wayfarer, foreigner, or traveler. This word described those who spread Christianity throughout Europe and the British Isles throughout late antiquity and the early medieval period by building communities of faith, and it continues to inform modern-day Christians whose journey across the earth is directed towards the ultimate holy land—the kingdom of our God. Going on pilgrimage is a way for an individual to deepen their Christian faith, but it is also a way to strengthen the community of the church today.
Central to pilgrimage is the communitas—or community—of fellow pilgrims and Christians who are joined in the common journey of faith that is strengthened by going on pilgrimage. This community is not limited to one group of travellers, but includes all us wanderers whose lives and journeys are woven together in Christ. In sum, going on pilgrimage is a way to grow our understanding of our faith tradition, enrich our spiritual lives, and grow in community with God’s one holy, catholic, and apostolic church both on the pilgrim road and right here in Waco.
